Hawaii in Country music is an interesting side-genre of Poly pop music. This is not the only song where country singers thematize it, usually in a humorous way. The slide guitar/Hawaiian cowboy connection and the white trash backround of Tiki and Country made that an easy choice. There's Hillbilly Hula Girl, Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian....does anyone remember other examples?

Make that the STEEL guitar, originally known as the Hawaiian steel guitar, even during Moon's era.
Slide guitar is a whole 'nuther animule.
Sorry to be anal, butt steelers prefer the fret lines not to be blurred.

Mainland composers/groups used Hawaii and the steel to great advantage in country and other genres of music for decades back when the steel was huge. It's hardly thot of these days...

Hank Snow did a different song called 'Hula Rock' too. The Hula Girls do both 'Hula Rock' songs when we play a three set show. I'm constantly digging for those kinds of songs to add to our set. I love that 1956 Honolulu Rock-a-roll-a song!

Of course in more modern times, Junior Brown has taken a note from those songs and crafted his own country/ hawaiian hybrids such as "Hillbilly Hula Gal" and "Coconut Island". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfuRcSRMNCQJunior was a big influence in helping my band to find our sound. He has our album too!

I think you put it best in the Tiki Mag article about us, John-O. These country/ Hawaiian combinations as well as our own 'hulabilly' music make up *small* islands in the archipeligo of what constitues 'tiki music'. Fun stuff. And this is period stuff too... so while it probably wasn't ever played in a tiki bar, there ARE straight hawaiian/ tiki ties to hillbilly and rockabilly.

On 2010-06-03 08:19, bigbrotiki wrote:Hawaii in Country music is an interesting side-genre of Poly pop music. This is not the only song where country singers thematize it, usually in a humorous way. The slide guitar/Hawaiian cowboy connection and the white trash backround of Tiki and Country made that an easy choice. There's Hillbilly Hula Girl, Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian....does anyone remember other examples?

I've dragged my mother to T.O. the past three years. Sorry for all the ankles I've clipped with her wheelchair! I really hope she's well enough to attend next year. She's played country steel guitar since the 1950's. And if you play steel, you gotta play some Hawaiian. One of her best groups was Wild Oats (http://www.ibiblio.org/hillwilliam/BGdiscography/?v=fullrecord&albumid=6645) but she also led a pretty wild all-girl group - The Farmer's Daughters - in the 1970's. The crowds, heat and hassle were getting to her a little this year, until she heard the theme for next year. Now she's looking forward to it! See you then!!

Thanks, Lucas.
Remember when we played Tiki Oasis #2 or #3 as the Smokin' Menenhunes? I was even trying to lead that band into the hulabilly stuff way back then too! But the SM's are WAY better as the traditional hapa haole thing that you guys have going now.

I really appreciate Otto's validation of what I have created (or THOUGHT I created anyway). I hadn't yet heard any of those songs that John-O posted. Junior Brown was the only guy that even got close to what I had in mind with "Hillbilly Hula Gal" and "Coconut Isle". Oh, and Blazing Haley had one song that was super influential to me as well.

We DO cover that Bill Haley song, John-O! It is such a great one for our genre! Bill Haley had some AMAZING songs once you get past all of his cliche hits!

Anyway, I CAN'T wait to see what Otto puts together for next year's Oasis!!
_________________Spike
www.facebook.com/thehulagirls
www.thehulagirlsmusic.com

In my opinion, Spike, your band is the first and only hulabilly band. While its true junior brown had a couple songs, nobody has taken it to the level you have. And it's true, you had the idea for it at least 8 years ago. It's amazing what you have built I also think it is safe to say you are the originator and creater of a new genre of music. For that, you can be proud!